The Guardian: Measles has now killed more people in DRC than Ebola — and almost all of them are children

Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa

 

“…All across the [Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)], children are dying from measles in what is the world’s largest and fastest-moving outbreak — with the latest data showing that there have been 165,203 suspected cases already this year. … What scares me is the number of deaths from measles, at more than 3,200, now exceeds the deaths from Ebola. Nearly all of them are children. … In most African countries, coverage of the routine immunization remains sub-optimal, thus enabling large pockets of unimmunized children and adults. … This situation will replicate in other countries on the continent if nothing is done to, once and for all, reach every child. As the world’s largest outbreak is currently reminding us, we must stop aiming for this goal and hunker down to actually achieve it…” (9/11).